Shipping case



April 8, 1924. 1,489,375

T. C. WENTWORTH SHIPPING CASE Filed March 8, 1923 AMY- Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. WENT'WORTIH, OF CORNISH, MAINE.

SHIPPING CASE.

Application filed March 8, 1923. Serial No. 623,659.

siding at Cornish, county of York, State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping cases, and particularly to a case for shipping eggs. The standard egg case of commerce is open to several serious objections. One characteristic objection consists in its weakness and lack of durability. This defect is due to faulty design and construction rather than to any inherent weakness of materials used. c The reinforcement strips for the ends of the cover, in particular, are a constant point of weakness. These strips extend from front to rear along the upper portion of the end walls of the case and are peculiarly exposed to the severe knocks in transit with the result that they soon become battered and split. Moreover these strips are usually pierced by hand holes whereby the shipping case may be lifted and these holes further weaken the strips.

Another point of weakness with the standard egg case of commerce lies in the difficulty of so fastening the cover hinges 80 to the soft pine wood of which these cases are usually made that the hinges will not work loose. The hinge arrangement itself, moreover, is such as to require the cover and side of the case be notched in order to ap ly to the hinges and the presence of these notches weakens the case by causing the sides and cover to split back from the notches towards the ends of the case.

To the end therefore of overcoming these objections, I have devised my present invention. In it, the usual reinforcement strips for the ends of the cover are protected by being set flush with the top edges of the end walls of the case. Over these strips is -15 placed a pair of abutment strips against which the end edges of the cover abut whereby the cover is confined against endwise play. These strips are banded by continuous metallic bands extending'completely so around each end of the case and not only strengthening the case at its ends but constituting a part of the hinge connections for the cover. By mounting the hinges upon the reinforcement bands, the necessity for weakening the case by notching the contiguous edges of the cover and rear wall is obviated and also avoids the danger of the hinges working loose. The end edges of the cover itself are also banded by continuous metallic bands which both reinforce the cover at these points but also constitutes a part of the hinge connections. These bands preferably overlap the bands covering the abutment strips, when the cover is closed, and afford a tight, metal-to-metal joint at the ends of the cover.

The construction and manner of assembling my shipping case, together with a selected embodiment which well illustrates the principles involved, is described and shown in'the accompanying specification and drawings, throughout which like reference numerals are correspondingly applied, and the characteristic features of novelty are partlcularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping case in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the cover closed, and

Fig. 3- is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the closed position of the cover in full lines and the open position of the cover in dotted lines.

My shipping case is usually of rectangular form comprising a bottom wall 1, front and rear walls 2 and 3, respectively, and end walls 4, and a cover 5, hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall 3. a

I have indicated at 6 the usual reinforcement strips for the cover ends. These strips 6 are nailed to each end wall 4 of the case and extend from front to rear thereof adj a cent the top and bottom edges. The strips 6 are protected by being set flush with the edges of the end walls 4 of the case. Nailed or otherwise fastened to the top faces of the upper pair of reinforcement strips 6 is a pear of abutment strips 7 adapted to confine the cover against endwise play when closed. The outsideedges of the strips 7 terminate flush with the strips 6. Extending completely around and secured to the case at its ends are metallic bands 8. These bands cross and are secured to the upper faces of the abutment strips 7 and not only reinforce the case at its ends, but protect t t p 7. gains seve no k in transit- Fastened to the inner and outer faces of the rear wall 3 of the case adjacent the upper edge thereof and preferably set closely to the reinforcement bands 8, are hinge strips 9 which are looped upon themselves as indicated at 9 to receive the hinges 10, Said hinges as here shown are simple loops engaged under the strips 9 and under an opposite pair of hinge bands 11 carried by the cover 5. The bands 11 preferably extend completely about the end edges of the cover and across the outer face of the cover are projected sufiiciently laterally to overlap the adjacent portions of the reinforcement bands 8. This provides an overlapping metal-to-Inetal joint along the contiguous edges of the cover "and abutment strips '6 which to some extent keep out moisture. When closed the cover will therefore fit snugly between the abutment strips: 7 and will lie substantially in the plane' thereof.

he front wall of the 'case is notched to receive a catch 12 with whichfcooperatesa releasable detent 13- mounted uponthe inner face of the cover 5 adjacent the forward edge thereof. V V

Various modifications in the form and construction of device may obviously be resortedto without departing from the spirit of my invention if Within the limits of the appended claims. g I h W'hat I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V '1. A shipping case comprising bottom,

front, rear, and end walls, a pair ofrein- I forcing stripsdispose'd across theendwalls and terminating in the plane of the upper edges :of the front a n'd rea wans, a cover hinged to the rear wall, and a pair of abutment strips secured to the upper faces of and terminating at theirouter edges in the plane of said reinforcing strips and between which the cover is adapted to be swung into closed position with its upper face disposed substantially in the plane of the upper faces of said abutment strips and confined thereby against endwi'se play. n

2. A shipping case comprising bottom, front, rear, and end walls, a pair of reinforcing strips disposed across the end walls and terminating in the plane of theupper edges of the front and rear walls, a' cover hinged to the rear wall, and a pair statutnient strips, secured tothe upper faces-of and terminating at their outer edgesin the plane of said-reinforcing strips and between which the cover is-adaptjed t'ohe; swung into closed position withitsiipper'face disposed substantially in the plane of the upper faces of said abutment strips and confiiiedfthe'reby against endwise ny,mu a pair of continuous metallic ba d'seii'tending aiound the case at theefids theresrasdfastened to sa-id' assai ant 1 an a 3. a" shippliig assessing; sea-6a,

front, rear, and end walls, a pair of reinforcing strips disposed across the end walls and terminating in the plane of the upper edges of the front and rear walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, a pair of abutment strips secured to the upper faces of and terminating at their outer edges in the plane of said reinforcing strips and between which the cover is adapted to be swun into closed position with its upper face disposed substantially in the plane of the upper faces of said abutment strips and confined thereby against en' dwise play, a pair of metallic bands. fastened to said abutment strips, apair of metallic bands encircling and secured to the inner and outer faces of the cover adjacent the "end edges thereof, the upper portions of said cover bands projecting laterally beyond theend edges of the cover to overlap the metallic bands at the case ends when the cover is closed.

4:. A shipping case comprising bottom, fi 'ont rean and end walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, a pair of continuous metallic bands extending around the case at the ends thereof, a pair of hinge strips disposed across the upper edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof, a pair of metallic hinge hands encircling and secured to the inner and outer faces of the cover adjacent the end edges thereof, and a pair of hinge loops engaged beneath said pairs of hinge bands for hingedly m ounting the cover upon the case.

SKA shipping case comprising bottom, front, rear, and end walls, a cover hinged to the rear wall, a pair of continuous metallifc bands esltendin'g around the case at the endsthereof, a pair of hinge strips disposed across the upper edge of the rear wall adjacent the ends thereof, a pair of metallic 'hinge bands en'circliiigand secured to the inner and outer faces of the cover adjacent the end edges thereof, and a pair of hinge ltiops engaged beneath saidfpairs of hinge bands for hinge'dly mounting the cover upon the case, the upperportions of said cover hinge strips projecting laterally beyond the end edges of the coverto overlap the adjacent portions of the metallic bands at the case ends when the cover is closed.

6. shipping case comprising bottom, front, rear, and end walls, a pair of reinforcing strips disposed across the end walls and terminating in the plane of the upper edges of the front and rear walls, a cover hinged tothe rear wall, a pair of abutment strips'sec'ured'to-the upper faces of and terniinating stthen outer edges in the plane of-said reinforcing strips and between which 7 the eoverflis I adapted to beswung into closed pq sitioniwithits upper face disposed subthe' -plane of the upper-facesfof sai a i m et s rip nd co d ther by against endwise play; a pair of metallic bands extending around the case at the ends thereof and fastened to said abutment strips, a pair of hinge strips disposed across the upper edge of the rear Wall adjacent the ends thereof, a pair of metallic hinge bands encircling and secured to the inner and outer faces of the cover adjacent the end edges thereof, and a pair of hinge loops engaged beneath said pairs of hinge bands for hingedly mounting the cover upon the case.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS C. WENTWORTH. Witnesses: I

ADOLPH REST, EDWARD D. SANBORN. 

